In a new era, China's new journey

This year, we have taken active, innovative and pioneering steps, and made many breakthroughs and important headway in our diplomatic work. First, we have drawn up the blueprint for jointly undertaking the Belt and Road Initiative. Last May, President Xi Jinping successfully chaired the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing. The heads of state/government from 29 foreign countries, senior representatives from over 130 countries and heads of over 70 international organisations attended the event. The BRF produced over 270 specific results under 76 broad categories across five key areas. Up till now, we have signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements with 80 countries and organisations, conducted institutionalised cooperation on industrial capacity with over 30 countries, and built 75 overseas economic and trade cooperation zones in 24 countries under the Belt and Road framework. Chinese businesses have invested over $50 billion and created near-200,000 local jobs in the countries along the Belt and Road. The Belt and Road Initiative has shown strong vigour and vitality. It carries far-reaching positive implications for global development, and will also lend strong and sustained impetus to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Second, we have been a strong advocate of economic globalisation. In his keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last January, President Xi pointed out that trying to reverse the trend of globalisation will be futile. President Xi also put forward China’s proposal for boosting global growth and making globalisation more balanced. At the Palace of Nations in Geneva, President Xi gave a full account of his major international initiative to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, provided China’s perspectives on addressing the many global challenges facing human society, and built international consensus on China’s proposal.

Third, we have been an anchor for stable relations among major countries. The three meetings and many letters and phone calls between President Xi and President Trump this year have provided a strategic anchor to what is the most complicated and consequential relationship in the world. The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, thanks to efforts of both sides, has continued to move forward at a high standard. China and Europe have continued to make fresh headway in the development of the partnership for peace, growth, reform and progress of civilisation.

Fourth, we have worked to maintain stability in our neighbourhood and the sound momentum of regional cooperation. In the past year, we have deepened mutual trust with traditionally friendly countries, consolidated our mutual support, worked for a turnaround in China-Japan and China-Republic of Korea relations, actively worked for the settlement of hotspot issues in its neighbourhood and led cooperation in neighbouring areas for regional peace and development.

Both being big developing countries, China and India have far greater shared strategic interests than concrete differences, and far greater needs for cooperation than partial frictions. China always values the good-neighbourliness and friendship between the two countries as we are each other’s big neighbours and ancient civilisations. We handled the Dong Lang incident in line with our national interest, on just grounds and with restraint. We believe that as long as we continue to engage in in-depth strategic communication and promptly dispel strategic misgivings, the strategic value of China-India cooperation will speak for itself, and there will be a prospect of “the Dragon and the Elephant Dancing Together” and “1+1=11” effect as expected by our leaders.

Fifth, we have ushered in the second “Golden Decade” of Brics cooperation. The Brics Xiamen Summit chaired by President Xi has been a full success, thanks to the concerted efforts of the five Brics countries. It has opened a brighter prospect for the cooperation, and boosted international community’s confidence in the future of emerging markets.

The 19th CPC National Congress successfully held this year established the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, opened up new horizons for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and set out the direction and objectives of China’s diplomacy in the new era. This has given Chinese answers to the serious questions confronting the world. That is to say, China believes it is essential to advance peace, development and win-win cooperation, foster a new form of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

To foster a new form of international relations, we need to find a new approach to developing state-to-state relations with the following core principles. First, mutual respect. Countries of different size, strength or wealth, and with diverse systems, religions and civilisations, are all equals. Second, fairness and justice. The law of the jungle which puts the weak at the mercy of the strong must be rejected, and the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, in particular the developing countries, should be upheld. And third, win-win cooperation. The outdated mindset of zero-sum game or winner taking all should be replaced with a new approach of working for common development and shared benefits.

To build a community with a shared future for mankind, we need to come up with solutions to various global challenges. We will build a five-in-one world, namely a world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, and a world that is open, inclusive and enjoys a well-preserved ecology.

In a word, we will continue to act as a responsible major country to contribute to world peace, promote global development, and uphold the international order.

First, we will expand China’s network of global partnerships and promote a new form of international relations. Second, we will start from our neighbourhood and other developing countries in building a community with a shared future for mankind. Third, we will comprehensively advance the Belt and Road Initiative to benefit all other participating countries through win-win cooperation. Fourth, we will actively explore a way of resolving hotspot issues with Chinese characteristics and play a bigger and more constructive role in upholding world stability. Fifth, we will step up efforts to serve China’s domestic development and overseas interests in line with our national conditions and the needs of our people.

In particular, we will host the Boao Forum for Asia and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Qingdao summit. We will also hold the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, as well as the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

The writer is China’s foreign minister, who will begin a visit to New Delhi on Monday to attend the India-China-Russia trilateral talks. This is the first top-level Chinese visit to India after the recent Doklam standoff.